NFL draft buzz growing around Auburn DT Dontavius Russell

Auburn defensive tackle Dontavius Russell is expected to see a bigger role in 2017 following the departure of Montavius Adams. Russell enters his junior season as a two-year starter and is coming off a season in which he recorded 29 tackles with six quarterback hurries.

“He has to be conscientious that hey, you’re going into being a three-year starter,” Auburn defensive line coach Rodney Garner said. “The three-year starter expectations are different than a first-year starter. So he has to embrace those realistic expectations, not the recruiting service expectations. Here’s a guy who has time on task, that’s done it at a very, very effective level in this league, and you can’t dip. We got to continue; we just got to keep climbing. We got to climb the mountaintop.”